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SC orders Karnataka to deposit ₹3,400-crore TDR for Bangalore Palace land
The directive was issued while hearing contempt pleas filed by legal heirs of Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar and others regarding land acquisition for widening Bellary, Jayamahal roads
The Supreme Court has directed the Karnataka government to deposit Transferable Development Rights (TDR) certificates worth ₹3,400 crore for 15 acres of Bangalore Palace land acquired for road expansion projects within a week. The court’s order comes amid criticism of the state’s shifting stance on the issue.
A bench comprising justices MM Sundresh and Aravind Kumar expressed dissatisfaction with Karnataka’s handling of the matter, noting inconsistencies in its approach. The directive was issued while hearing contempt petitions filed by the legal heirs of Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar and others regarding land acquisition for widening Bellary and Jayamahal roads.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the state, contended that the Supreme Court should first resolve the main appeal, as Karnataka had already secured a favourable ruling from the high court. He argued that the land acquisition process, initiated in 1994, was now being reassessed based on 2024 valuations. According to Sibal, if the TDR certificates were issued at current rates, the total valuation of the entire 462-acre acquisition would surpass ₹1 lakh crore, imposing a significant financial burden on the state.
Opposing this, senior advocates AK Ganguli, Rakesh Dwivedi, Madhavi Divan, and Gopal Sankaranarayanan pointed out that as of December 10, 2024, Karnataka had been found guilty of contempt. They accused the state of adopting deceptive tactics to bypass the court’s orders. “The government has devised its own methods to evade compliance,” Divan said.
Directing the Karnataka government to deposit the TDR certificates, the court scheduled the next hearing for March 20. “Let them deposit the TDR within a week. We will consider the matter,” the bench said.
While granting relief to the chief secretary and the special land acquisition officer from appearing in person, the bench mandated that the commissioners of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) must be present at the next hearing.
